Just as God's will is creation and is called "the world," so his intention is the salvation of men, and it is called "the Church." 155
Catechism number 771
"The one mediator, Christ, established and ever sustains here on earth his
holy Church, the community of faith, hope, and charity, as a visible
organization through which he communicates truth and grace to all
men."184 The Church is at the same time:
- a "society structured with hierarchical organs and the mystical body of
Christ;
- the visible society and the spiritual community;
- the earthly Church and the Church endowed with heavenly
riches."185
These dimensions together constitute "one complex reality which comes
together from a human and a divine element":186
The Church is essentially both human and divine, visible but endowed with invisible realities, zealous in action and dedicated to contemplation, present in the world, but as a pilgrim, so constituted that in her the human is directed toward and subordinated to the divine, the visible to the invisible, action to contemplation, and this present world to that city yet to come, the object of our quest.187
O humility! O sublimity! Both tabernacle of cedar and sanctuary of God; earthly dwelling and celestial palace; house of clay and royal hall; body of death and temple of light; and at last both object of scorn to the proud and bride of Christ! She is black but beautiful, O daughters of Jerusalem, for even if the labor and pain of her long exile may have discolored her, yet heaven's beauty has adorned her.188
The Church - mystery of men's union with God